TP 997 
. J3 

Copy 1 


Land Clearing - and Wood Utilization 
By Distillation* 



By W. R. James 

M 

OF THE 

Hercules Powder Co. 



*This paper was delivered at the Agricultural Extension Directors’ Convention at 
Gulfport, Miss., December 18, 1919. It contains additional tables and cost 
analyses not available at that time. 


Copyright IQ20 by the Hercules Powder Co. 




% 



© Cl A 568048 



APR i 3 1920 









The Hercules Experimental Distillation Plant, near Gulfport, Miss. 

















INTRODUCTION 


C' ARLY in 1918 our attention was directed by officials of the 
United States Department of Agriculture, to the problem of 
developing the cut-over long leaf pine lands of the Southern Coastal 
Plains. In approaching this problem we realized that it is not a 
new one. Agricultural authorities have given the subject serious 
study for many years. 

The long leaf pine lands include most of the area of the Coastal 
Plains extending from Norfolk, Va. to Galveston, Texas, lying 
between the Piedmont section and the sea coast, excepting only 
the alluvial tracts of the Mississippi Valley. The soils of this 
region are predominantly sands or sandy loams, and, with the 
exception of swamp lands, are, or were, covered almost entirely 
with long leaf pine timber. Some of them are fertile and adapted 
to general farming, while some are too poor to be attractive, except 
for the purpose of reforestation. Over one hundred soil types 
have been distinguished in the territory embraced. According to 
seemingly reliable estimates, seventy-six million acres have been 
cut over, and the saw-mills are adding to this immense total at 
the rate of ten million acres a year. 

Owing to climatic conditions, which are favorable alike to 
health and to agriculture, and also to the fact that this land is 
almost the last available large area open to agricultural develop¬ 
ment in this country, the problem of its ultimate reclamation is 
one of paramount importance. Agricultural settlers have en¬ 
deavored to bring the land into cultivation from time to time, but 
the high cost of clearing has been a serious deterent to this work. 
Unfortunately for the would-be settler, the long leaf pine stump 
does not decay rapidly, as does the hard-wood variety. The 
. tendency of the former to turn rich or fat prolongs its existence 
almost indefinitely. Moreover, nature provided the long leaf pine 
tree, over most of its range, with enormous tap roots which increase 
the difficulty of removing the stump. 

Where these lands are of very high agricultural value, as in the 
citrus sections, the cost of clearing is easily justified. Rut this is 
not the case with most of the vast acreage involved, and in any 


case it is obvious that the presentation of a method which will 
materially reduce the expense of clearing these lands, will be a 
valuable contribution to Southern agriculture. 

Officials of the States Relations Service of the United States 
Department of Agriculture called our attention to the fact that 
the long leaf pine stump of the South contains resinous matter of 
commercial value which may be recovered by distillation. They 
suggested that the Department would be interested in any experi¬ 
ment we might care to make in the utilization of stumps to offset 
the cost of pine land reclamation. 

After seeking advice from the Bureau of Chemistry, we made a 
preliminary investigation of commercial distillation plants. We 
soon realized, however, that in order to get accurate information 
on this subject in its relation to land clearing, we should have to 
build a plant and operate it. As manufacturers of explosives, we 
had been interested for years in the subject of land clearing, and 
this proposal seemed to fit in with our general activities, so we 
proceeded to carry out the experiment. It has convinced us that 
the operation of one or more distillation plants in connection with 
the removal of long leaf pine stumps will materially reduce the 
cost of the latter operation, and that under the most favorable 
circumstances it will more than pay for the clearing. 

In seeking a location for our experiment, we did not look for ideal 
conditions. All sections of the long leaf pine regions were visited 
and in October, 1918, a site was selected in South Mississippi on 
the Gulf & Ship Island Railroad, seven miles north of Gulfport, 
Harrison County. There we found what we regarded as fairly 
average conditions of soil and stumpage. There is no question 
that there are millions of acres better suited to work of this kind 
than the spot we chose. 

In conducting the experiment, it was our purpose to determine 
the cost of removing the stumps, the type of plant best suited for 
small scale distillation, the cost of construction and operation, and 
the value and salebility of the products recovered. 

The succeeding parts of this paper will deal with these various 
phases of our experiment and the conclusions we have drawn 
from them. 


1*1 



A section of the cut-over long leaf pine land on which the Hercules Gulfport Experiment was conducted. 

































































































































































PART I. 

LAND CLEARING 


T?OR THE purpose of obtaining accurate cost figures, twenty- 
five acres of cut-over pine lands were surveyed and subdivided 
into one-acre and five-acre tracts. The land was rolling in char¬ 
acter, one-half being high and dry, and the other half low and wet. 
The timber had been cut off twice in the past fifteen years, the 
last time about six years ago. The age of the stumps varied, there¬ 
fore, from six to fifteen years. A careful record was kept of the 
material and labor employed, the number of stumps, and their 
weight per acre. 

As the wood must be broken up into pieces that can be easily 
handled, whether it is designed for the retort or the furnace, 
blasting was the best means to use, as it removes and splits the 
stump in one operation. The custom and desirability of shallow 
plowing in the pine lands made it unnecessary to remove the tap 
root below a distance of eighteen inches from the surface. This 
did not leave deep holes in the ground such as those that are made 
when the whole tap root is pulled out by- mechanical means. As 
the tap root contains no rosin, and is not needed for fuel, leaving 
it in the ground cuts down the quantity of explosives necessary, 
and possibly benefits the soil by its decay. 

The work was carried out as follows: First, a pit was dug with 
a spade at the base of the stump from twelve to eighteen inches 
deep exposing the tap root. A hole was bored into the root in a 
downward-slanting direction, but was not allowed to go clear 
through to the other side. It was found that if the hole were bored 
clear through, more explosives were required, because the con¬ 
finement was not as close. A power boring machine was used, 
equipped with a H.P. gasoline engine. 

When the stumps on an acre were bored, the holes were loaded 
with dynamite, primed with cap and fuse, and thoroughly tamped 
with moist earth, the size of the charge varying with the size of 
the stumps. With a little experience it is possible to gauge the 
correct quantity of explosives quite accurately. The result of the 
blast was to cut the tap root entirely off and throw out the base 

[3] 


and the top of the stump, usually split in pieces that could be 
easily handled. Occasionally, second and third shots were re¬ 
quired where the stump did not come out cleanly on the first. 
Ordinarily it is cheaper to use a repeat shot on a stump than to 
cut it out by hand. Following the blaster, laborers cut and dug 
out the clinging lateral roots and piled up the wood so that it 
could be conveniently loaded for hauling to the plant. 


TRACT I 


Explosives & Blasting Suppiies 

265 lbs. Ilercomite @ 25 cents per lb. $66.25 

463 No. 6 Caps @ $16.15 per 1000. 7.48 

936 ft. Fuse @ 8 91 per 1000 ft. 8.34 


$82.07 

$ 2.52 
25.48 
19.04 
25.20 


$72.24 


Total Cost clearing 5 acres. 154.31 

Cost per Acre. $30.86 


Number of Stumps—Weight Lbs. 


1st acre. 91 9705 lbs. 

2d acre. . .. 52 8715 lbs. 

3d acre. 104 5460 lbs. 

4th acre. 100 14760 lbs. 

5th acre. 99 7040 lbs. 


Total. 446 45680 lbs. — 22.84 tons 


Labor 

Pitting 9 hrs. @ 28 cents. . . 
Boring 91 hrs. @ 28 cents. . . 
Blasting 68 hrs. @ 28 cents. 
Grubbing 90 hrs. @ 28 cents 


Cost per ton,. g 76 

52 man—hours per acre 
11 man—hours per ton 


[ 4 ] 





















TRACT II 


Explosives and Blasting Supplies 


266 lbs. Hercomite @ 25 cents. $66.50 

530 No. 6 Caps @ $16.15 per 1000. 8.56 

1060 ft. Fuse @ $8.90 per 1000 ft. 9.44 


Labor 

Pitting 5 hrs. @ 28 cents and 5 hrs. @ 34 cents. 

Boring 28 hrs. @ 28 cents and 35 hrs. @ 34 cents.. . . 
Gasoline for Boring Machine—5 gallons @ 24.5 cents. 

Blasting 64.5 hrs. @ 28 cents. 

Grubbing 93 hrs. @ 28 cents.. 


$84.50 


3.10 

19.74 

1.23 

18.06 

26.04 


Total cost clearing 5 acres 
Cost per Acre. 

Number of Stumps—Weight Lbs. 


6 th acre. Ill 9920 lbs. 

7th acre. 123 11250 lbs. 

8 th acre. 76 9646 lbs. 

9th acre. 41 7670 lbs. 

10th acre. 75 12925 lbs. 


Total. 426 51411 lbs. — 25.71 tons 

Cost per ton. $5.94 


38 man—hrs. per acre 
8 man—hrs. per ton 


$68.17 

152.67 

$30.53 


f5] 


/ 





















TRACT III 


Explosives and Blasting Supplies 

311 lbs. Hercoinite @ 25 cents. $77.75 

510 No. 6 Blasting Caps @ $16.15 per 1000. 8 24 

1020 ft. Fuse @ $8.91 per 1000 ft.. . .. 9.09 


Labor 

Pitting 13.5 hrs. @ 28 cents and 2 hrs. @ 34 cents... . 
Boring 67.5 hrs. @ 28 cents and 46 hrs. @ 34 cents .. 

Gas for Boring Machine—5 gals. @ 24.5 cents. 

Blasting 75.5 hrs. @ 28 cents. 

Grubbing 90 hrs. @ 28 cents and 74.5 hrs. @ 34 cents 


$95.08 


4.46 
34.54 
1.23 
21.14 
50.53 


Total cost for clearing five acres 
Cost per acre. 

Number of Stumps—Weight Lbs. 


11th acre. 69 17975 lbs. 

12th acre. 67 12835 lbs. 

13th acre. 76 19065 lbs. 

14th acre. 93 13495 lbs. 

15th acre. 112 12350 lbs. 


Total. 417 75720 lbs. — 37.86 tons 

Cost per ton. $5.46 


49 man—hrs. per acre 
7 man—hrs. per ton 


$111.90 
206.98 

$41.39 


(C[ 





















I>ong leaf pine stump removed mechanically. The tap root is larger than the part which was above ground and it is almost as much of a 

problem to dispose of this great weight of wood, once on the surface, as it was before it was pulled. 

















TRACT IV 


Explosives and Blasting Supplies 

187 lbs. Hercomite @ 25 cents. $46.75 

285 No. 6 Blasting Caps @ $16.15 per 1000. 4.60 

570 ft. Fuse @ $8.91 per 1000 ft. 5.08 


Labor 

Pitting 6 hrs. 28 cents and 1 hr. @ 34 cents. 2.02 

Boring 20 hrs. @ 28 cents and 20 hrs. @ 34 cents. ... 12.40 

Gasoline for boring machine—5 gals. @ 24.5 cents.... 1.23 

Blasting 72 hrs. @ 28 cents. 20.16 

Grubbing 66 hrs. @ 28 cents. 18.48 


Total cost clearing 5 acres. 
Cost per acre. 

Number of Stumps—Weight Lbs. 


16th acre. 63 8670 lbs. 

17th acre. 50 6620 lbs. 

18th acre. 46 8715 lbs. 

19th acre. 50 6505 lbs. 

20th acre. 54 7140 lbs. 


Total. 263 37650 lbs. — 18.83 tons 


Cost per ton.. 

33 man—hrs. per acre 
9 man—lirs. per ton 


$56.43 


$54.29 

110.72 

$22.14 


$ 5.88 





















TRACT V 


Explosives and Blasting Supplies 

308 lbs. Hercomite @ 25 cents. $77.00 , 

427 No. 6 Blasting Caps @ $16.15 per 1000. 6.90 

854 ft. Fuse @ $8.91 per 1000 ft. 7.61 


Labor 

Pitting 4.5 hrs. 28 cents and 4.5 hrs. @ 34 cents. . . 2.79 

Boring 27.5 hrs. @ 28 cents and 33.5 hrs. @ 34 cents. 19.09 
Gasoline for boring machine—5 gals. 24.5 cents. ... 1.23 

Blasting 54 hrs. @ 28 cents. 15.12 

Grubbing 91.5 hrs. @ 28 cents... 25.62 


$91.51 


Total cost clearing 5 acres 
Cost per acre. 


03.85 

155.36 

$31.07 


Number of Stumps—Weight Lbs. 


21st acre. 60 9140 lbs. 

22d acre. 30 6275 lbs. 

23d acre. 79 5400 lbs. 

24th acre. 60 8635 lbs. 

25th acre. 107 8275 lbs. 


Total. 336 37725 lbs. — 18.86 tons 

Cost per ton. $8.24 


36 man—hrs. per acre 
9 man—hrs. per ton 


I3i 





















TractN< 


RECAPITULATION—LAND CLEARING 

Cost Tons Recovered Cost per Acre Cost per Ton 




22.84 

$30.86 


$6.76 



25.71 

30.53 


5.94 



37.86 

41.39 


5.46 



18.83 

22.14 


5.88 



18.86 

31.07 


8.24 

Total. . . . 

.$780.04 

124 10 Average. 31.20 


6.28 



MAN HOURS 




No. 1 

258 Man-hours 

for 5 acres — 

52 Man-hours for 

1 acre 

No. 2 

190 “ 

41 5 “ — 

38 “ 

1 


No. 3 

247 “ 

“ 5 “ — 

49 “ 


it 

No 4 

164 “ 

“ 5 “ — 

33 “ 

1 


No. 5 

178 “ 

“ 5 “ — 

36 “ 

1 

“ 

Total 

1037 





Average 

i Man-hours per acre 41.48 




No. 1 

258 Man-hours for 22.84 tons 

— 11 Man-hours for 

1 ton 

No. 2 

190 “ 

" 25.71 “ 

-8 

«c 

1 

No. 3 

247 “ 

“ 37.86 “ - 

- 7 

“ 

1 “ 

No. 4 

164 “ 

“ 18.83 “ - 

- 9 

« 

1 “ 

No. 5 

178 “ 

“ 18.86 “ 

- 9 


1 “ 

Total 

1037 





Average 

* Man-hours per ton 8.35 





CONCLUSIONS 

The tables herewith shown give the clearing costs in detail. 

Obviously, it cannot be assumed that $31.20, the average 
cost per acre of clearing this 25-acre tract, is a close approxi¬ 
mation of the cost of clearing all long leaf pine lands. The 
variation between the different five-acre tracts from $22.14 per 
acre on Tract No. 4 to $41.39 per acre on Tract No. 3, is in itself 
a sufficient indication that the average figure cannot be applied 
generally. However, it will be noted that the cost per ton of 
wood recovered was lowest on the land costing $41.39 an acre to 
clear. The wood tonnage was heaviest on this tract, and as will 

[®] 









be seen, such land might be more profitable to clear in connection 
with distillation than land costing less to clear and yielding less 
material. 

Tract No. 5 makes the worst showing, because of the low per¬ 
centage of fat wood in the stumps on this area. Many of these 
stumps ran large and they were probably frequently overloaded be¬ 
cause of experience gained in shooting others of the same size 
which contained more fat wood, and which were heavier. If these 
conditions were met frequently, experience would enable the blaster 
materially to reduce the quantity of explosives with equally good 
results. We believe there are millions of acres of cut-over long 
leaf pine lands that can be cleared at a figure close to $30, millions 
more that will run higher than this, and other millions that can 
be cleared for less. 

Whereas in shooting hard wood stumps the character of the 
soil is a vital factor in the cost, the same thing does not apply 
generally to the long leaf pine variety, because the charge is 
thoroughly confined within the root. There are sections in 
Florida, however, and possibly in other states, where the tap root 
is much less developed than usual, and where the extreme light¬ 
ness of the soil coupled with this fact makes it necessary to use 
high percentage dynamites and considerably increases the cost of 
clearing. 

While it is well to bring out these points, they are much less 
important in the present connection than they would be in the 
case of ordinary clearing where no attempt is made to utilize the 
wood. No matter how much or how little it costs to clear, this 
cost can be offset to some degree if the stumps are fat and as a 
general thing all long leaf pine stumps become fat or rich after 
they have been cut a few years. We cannot say that there are no 
exceptions to this, but we are confident that the exceptions are 
rare. 


[ 10 ] 




A power boring mac hine used in land clearing—Hercules Gulfport 
Experiment. 











PART 2. 


SELECTING THE TYPE AND CONSTRUCTING THE 

PLANT 

T HE PROCESS known as destructive distillation is the only 
one which can be carried out with relatively inexpensive equip¬ 
ment, and, therefore, there was no choice in the matter of its 
selection. This produces charcoal, tar, and a product generally 
known as mixed tar oils. 

There are many types of apparatus in use for destructive dis¬ 
tillation. The cheapest outfit consists of an ordinary pit kiln. 
This makes a good tar, but an unsalable charcoal when resinous 
wood is used. The yield of tar is less than can be secured from a 
closed retort, and as the kiln is well known in the Pine Belt, its 
non-use for land clearing purposes indicates that some other type 
would be more satisfactory. 

There are two general types of retorts in use for destructive 
distillation, the vertical and the horizontal. There are various 
modifications of these, depending upon the method of introducing 
the wood, and removing the charcoal. The concensus of opinion 
among operators favors horizontal retorts. The vertical type 
requires a special container and hoisting apparatus to introduce 
the wood and remove the charcoal. This can be eliminated, sav¬ 
ing considerable expense, with a small size horizontal retort such as 
we decided to use. 

We selected the one-cord size, 4 ft. 9 inches in diameter by 9 ft. 3 
inches long, which, experience has demonstrated, was slightly too 
small for the most economical handling. The advantage of a 
retort of approximately this size is that charging and discharging 
can be accomplished quickly by hand. 

[ 11 ] 


The retort was set in a brick, fire-heated furnace. At one end 
was a door of full diameter. This swung on hinges and fastened 
to the ring on the retort rim by means of wedges. An ordinary 
worm condenser of 5-1/3 turns, 5 ft. in diameter, with the top of 
the coil seven inches in diameter and the outlet three inches in 
diameter, was connected with the end of the retort opposite the 
door. It was contained in a cypress water tank and led to a 
receiving tank of the same material, 3^ ft. in diameter by 4 ft. 
deep, which was set in the ground. The water supply for the 
condenser tank was secured first from a bored well and later from 
a dug well. A small force pump connected to a pumping jack 
was driven by a crude oil engine. 

A goose-neck trap was placed in the delivery pipe leading from 
the condenser to the receiving tank to hold back the gas and 
deliver the distillate. A 3-inch pipe conveyed the uncondensed 
gases to the fire box of the furnace, and a pipe was led from this 
up through the roof in order that excess gas could be by-passed 
into the air. In the bottom of the retort near the door, was an 
opening with a pipe connection through which the heavy tar, which 
did not vaporize, ran in liquid form into the tar tank made of 
concrete. 

To regulate the temperature, the retort was supplied with three 
gauges, one glass thermometer and one thermo-couple element of 
an electric pyrometer were placed side by side in the vapor pipe. 
One thermo-couple was placed in the top of the retort near the 
door. 

The retort and furnace were housed in a rough wooden struc¬ 
ture and a narrow gauge track ran from the wood-pile on one side 
across the platform of a Howe Standard Scale through the retort 
house in front of the furnace and out to the charcoal house on the 
other side. A flat-car with a platform 4 ft. by 6 ft. 6 inches was 
used to bring the wood into the retort and furnace, and sheet-iron 
cooling boxes for the charcoal were placed on two similar cars. 
An office building with a lean-to shed for an automobile, and a 
small dynamite magazine with sand-filled walls, were also con¬ 
structed. The cost of equipment and construction was as follows: 

[ 12 ] 


Office.$380.77 

Water Supply . 218.08 

Magazine. 98.77 

Outbuildings. 23.82 

Charcoal House. 78.36 

Retort House.182.47 

Retort & Furnace. 1500.17 

Drains. 39.93 

Track.188.90 

Gauges . 98.51 

Cars. 208.84 

Scales.112.54 

Oil Pump & Connections. 28.65 

Tanks.317.68 

Tar Pipe. 36.33 

Gas Pipe. 48.87 

Condenser. 405.44 

Misc. Tools & Office Supplies. 78.69 


Total.$4046.82 


CONCLUSIONS 

As the matter of accurate records was more important than 
any other factor in the case of our experiment, we went to some 
expense which would not be necessary in the instance of the aver¬ 
age operator. It was built in the height of the war period 
when labor was even more scarce than it is today, and when it 
was extremely difficult to get prompt deliveries without paying a 
premium. The plant was located in an isolated spot where it was 
not possible to take advantage of any existing buildings. New 
equipment was used, whereas in many cases it is possible to make 
use of a second-hand boiler for a retort and other second-hand 
material. We believe it is possible to construct a plant with a 
slightly larger retort, using new equipment, for about $3500.00, 
and this can be further reduced in cases where suitable second¬ 
hand material is available. 


[ 13 ] 






















PART 3. 
OPERATION 


O UR METHOD of operation was as follows: Any wood that 
was not reduced to pieces eight inches through, or less, was 
split at the plant. The wood car was loaded and pushed on the 
scales for weighing. It was then pushed into the retort house and 
the wood was loaded into the retort in tiers. If any wood re¬ 
mained on the car this was re-weighed to get the exact weight of 
the charge. Wood which had also been accurately weighed was 
placed beside the furnace for fuel, the retort door was closed, and 
the fire started, the condenser tank having previously been filled 
with water, and the gas and tar pipes opened. The heating was 
rapid until the temperature became sufficient to cause the dis¬ 
tillate to flow. The fireman was supplied with a sheet showing 
the temperatures which should be attained at half-hour intervals 
until the distillation was completed, and he was required to note 
the actual temperatures at these intervals on the same sheet. 
For a charge to be run off and pulled every twenty-four hours, it 
required an average increase in temperature of twenty degrees 
Fahrenheit each half-hour. At certain stages of the process, a 
rapid increase of temperature was expected, due to the heat pro¬ 
duced by the breaking down of the molecular structure of the 
wood. Much gas was formed at this time. By observing the 
temperature readings frequently, warning of the approach of this 
action can be obtained. To avoid overheating, the fire must be 
pulled at this stage, and the gas by-passed to the air. With 
schedules of longer than twenty-four hours for the run, the heat¬ 
ing is more gradual, and this sudden rise in temperature is not so 
pronounced. 

During the first part of the run there is a flow of water and 
pyroligneous acid into the receiving tank. At the same time, tar 
collects on the bottom of the retort and runs off into the tar tank. 
Toward the middle of the run, the exact time depending upon 
the way the heating has been regulated, the tar oils are 

[ 14 ] 


con- 



This shows the open retort with the wood car alongside, ready for 
charging— Hercules Gulfport Experiment 











































































































































































































































































































densed and the uncondensed gases begin to flow into the fire box. 
In order to make a good quantity of charcoal, it is sometimes 
necessary to continue heating for a short time after the distillate 
ceases to flow. 

In addition to the proper regulation of temperature, it is only 
necessary to see that the water in the condenser tank is kept 
cool, and that the pipe lines do not become stopped up and cause 
back pressure. We encountered no difficulties from this source, 
but if a serious stoppage occurs, it is necessary to draw the fire 
and pass the gas into the outside air. 

When the distillation was complete the retort was allowed to 
cool until the reading of the pyrometer inside the retort showed a 
temperature of about 400 degrees Fahrenheit. The cooling box 
was then rolled into position in front of it, the lid on the top serv¬ 
ing as a platform when open, on which the operator stood in 
raking out the charcoal. As the charcoal frequently catches fire, 
this operation has to be performed quickly. It usually took about 
ten minutes. After the charcoal was removed to the cooling box, 
the cover was closed and sealed with wet clay. From one to two 
days is required for cooling. 

By the time the charcoal was sealed up, the retort usually cooled 
enough to permit a man to enter it, to clean out the vapor and 
tar pipes, and sweep the fine charcoal from the bottom. Another 
car of wood having been prepared, the retort was again charged, 
and the operation repeated. Each charge was handled in the 
same manner, except that the duration of the runs was varied in 
order to determine the length of time required to give the best 
results, and that in a few instances, the tar pipe was purposely 
stopped up so that the tar could be distilled through the con¬ 
denser. However, this was found to decrease the yields. 


[ 15 ] 




TABLE No. 1 

GULFPORT EXPERIMENT—24 HOUR SCHEDULE 

Operating Costs per Ton of Retort Wood 

Hauling. $ 1.20 

Interest on Investment.. .65 

Depreciation. 1.38 

Retort Replacement. 1 00 

Repairs. .50 

Supplies. .60 

Labor. 6.45 


Total Operating Costs. . $11.73 

Operating Revenue per Ton of Retort Wood 

62.29 Gals. Mixed Oils and Tar (2> 18 cents per gal_ $11.21 

463 lbs. Charcoal @ 1 cent. 4.63 

Total Operating Revenue. 15.84 

Operating Profit per ton of Retort Wood. 4.11 

Operating Profit per acre. $12 


m 















TABLE No. 1 


In Table No. 1, the weight of the retort wood and fuel, and the 
yields of oils and charcoal, represent the average of a number of 
runs on the 24-hour schedule. The operating costs, yields, and 
profits have been worked out in terms of one ton of retort wood, 
or wood that is distilled, and the profits are also shown per acre. 

Weighed at the time it was brought in, the wood recovered aver¬ 
aged five tons to the acre, but due to a slight loss in splitting, and 
to the evaporation of moisture, it amounted to 10% less than this, 
as it was actually used. Therefore, we can only count 4 -]/2 tons 
to the acre. The wood required for fuel was almost exactly half 
of that which was used in the retort, by weight. This would allow 
us an average of three tons of retort wood and tons of fuel 
wood per acre. 

The wood we recovered averaged close to 1.5 tons to the cord, 
and theoretically we should have been able to put in this amount 
for each charge, but in practice we could not do so. As a matter 
of fact, our average on the 24-hour schedule was only 1.24 tons 
per charge. When heavier charges were tried, the large volumes 
of gases formed under the conparatively rapid heating required 
by the 24-hour schedule, were too difficult to control. 

HAULING 

It cost us 80 cents a ton to bring the wood into the plant, hiring 
teams when we could get them. As .5 tons of fuel were required 
for each ton of retort wood, the hauling cost per ton of the latter 
would be $1.20. 

INTEREST ON INVESTMENT 

The interest on $4,000.00 at 6% would be $240.00 annually. 
As we distilled 1.24 tons of wood per day, in a working year of 
300 days we would handle 372 tons of retort wood. Dividing this 
into the annual interest we get .645, the interest charge per ton. 

DEPRECIATION 

In figuring depreciation charges, it becomes necessary to esti¬ 
mate the time that the plant will be of use. Obviously, it would 
not give a fair picture to write off our plant in the short space of 

[H] 


time that we operated. As a land clearing proposition, we may 
assume, for bookkeeping purposes at least, that the plant will be 
useless to the owner by the time he has cleared his land, and the 
duration of this time will, of course, depend upon the amount of 
land to be cleared. We must arbitrarily establish the acreage to 
be cleared, and it seems to us that generally speaking a man 
would hardly employ the distillation process on less than 1,000 
acres, even though, as can readily be seen, it might be possible to 
make a profit by using 500 acres, and doubling the depreciation 
figures. On a thousand acres, then, we can charge off our $4,000- 
plant at $4.00 per acre, and as there were three tons of retort wood 
to the acre, our depreciation charge per ton of retort wood, would 
be $4.00 divided by 3, or $1.33. 

We remember that the plant consumes 372 tons of retort wood 
per year. As there are three tons of retort wood per acre, the 
other ton and a half per acre being used for fuel, the acreage 
handled per year would be 372 divided by 3, or 124 acres. At 
this rate it would take slightly over eight years to use the wood 
from a thousand acres. The original investment of $4,000.00 
would, therefore, be divided over this time, and the depreciation 
would be $496.00 a year, or about 12%. 

RETORT REPLACEMENT 

In addition to depreciation, which should wipe out the original 
investment by the time the plant has served its purpose, some¬ 
thing must be set aside to keep it in first-class running order 
during its life. The retort is the only thing likely to wear out 
rapidly. They have been known to last five years and over, and 
with careless firing they can be burned out in less than a year. 
Assuming that it will cost $900.00 to purchase and install a new 
retort, if we charge $1.00 per ton of retort wood, it will take 
2.42 years to accumulate this amount, because we handle 372 
tons per year, and this divided into $900.00 gives this figure. 
With reasonable care, the retort should last at least 2.42 years. 

REPAIRS 

Before it is necessary to replace the retort, it will probably have 
to be patched and turned frequently, and we believe an allowance 

[ 18 ] 


of 50 cents per ton of retort wood should be made to take care of 
this and other small items of upkeep. 

SUPPLIES 

The figure of 60 cents per ton for supplies, is based on our own 
operations, and under this heading was included kerosene to run 
the engine, pump leathers, belt fasteners, flash light batteries, 
drinking cups, soap, cotton waste, and, in fact, all the small items 
that must be purchased. 

LABOR 9 

A plant the size of ours is a little more than two men can con¬ 
veniently handle, and it does not provide enough work for three 
men. We were forced to employ three men, two at $2.50 a day, 
and one at $3.00 a day, two working in the day and one at night, 
making a total labor charge of $8.00 for 24 hours. As we handled 
1.24 tons of retort wood every 24 hours, the cost for labor per ton 
would be $8.00 divided by 1.24, or $6.45. 

YIELDS 

On the 24-hour schedule our average yield was 62.29 gallons of 
tar and oil, and 463 pounds of charcoal, for each ton of wood 
distilled. 

PROFITS 

We sold our oil in the summer of 1919 at 18 cents a gallon, 
which was a very low figure. We mixed our tar and oils, as is the 
usual practice, except on rare occasions when the price of tar goes 
high enough to make it profitable to sell it separately. Charcoal 
sells readily throughout the south at from Y cents to \Y cents a 
pound. We disposed of ours at 1 cent, which is an average figure. 


[ 19 ] 


TABLE No. 2 


GULFPORT EXPERIMENT—36 HOUR SCHEDULE 


Operating Costs per Ton of Retort Wood 

Hauling. $1.20 

Interest on Investment. .83 

Depreciation. 1.33 

Retort Replacement. 1.00 

Repairs. .50 

Supplies. .60 

Labor. 8.13 

• - 

Total Operating Costs. $13.59 

Operating Revenue per Ton of Retort Wood 

76.40 Gals. Mixed Oils and Tar @ 18 cents per gal— $13.75 

411 lbs. Charcoal @ 1 cent. 4.11 


Total Operating Revenue. 17.86 

Operating Profit per ton of Retort Wood. 4.27 

Operating Profit per acre. $12.81 


The analyses of the various headings in Table No. 1 will supply 
the method for arriving at those used in Table No. 2. 

HAULING 

Same as in Table No. 1. 

INTEREST ON INVESTMENT 

The interest per year would be the same, $240.00, but as our 
average charge is 1.44 tons of retort wood in 36 hours, we only 
distilled two-thirds of this, or .96 tons per day, and 288 tons in a 
working year of 300 days. The interest per ton would, therefore, 
be $240.00, divided by 288, or 83 cents. 

DEPRECIATION 

Depreciation would be the same as in Table No. 1, but as we 
only distill 288 tons a year, and as there are three tons of retort 
wood to the acre, we would take care of wood from 96 acres an¬ 
nually. At $1.33 per ton, the depreciation per year would be 
$383.04. It would thus take something over ten years to clear a 
thousand acres and accumulate a depreciation fund to wipe out 

[ 20 ] 
















our original investment. In this case, the depreciation would 
amount to 9.6% annually. 

RETORT REPLACEMENT 

At $1.00 per ton, or $288.00 per year for retort replacement, 
something over three years would be required to accumulate 
$900.00. The retort should last considerably longer with the slower 
schedule, because the rise in temperature is not so rapid, and, 
therefore, this longer time allowance for replacing it does not seem 
unreasonable. 

REPAIRS 

We believe the same estimate, 50 cents per ton of retort wood 
for patching and other repairs, is a conservative figure to use with 
a 36-hour schedule. 

LABOR 

In this case we divided our labor cost of $8.00 for £4 hours by 
.96 tons, the amount of wood distilled in this period, to get the 
labor charge per ton of $8.13. 

YIELDS 

Our average yield on the 36-hour schedule was 76.40 gallons of 
tar and oils, and 411 pounds of charcoal. 

PROFITS 

The selling price was the same, and as will be seen from a com¬ 
parison of the two tables, the profits were greater, the increased 
yield of tar and oil more than offsetting the higher cost for labor 
and depreciation, and the decrease in charcoal yields. 

CONCLUSIONS 

From the foregoing analysis of our experimental operation, it 
seems impossible to escape the general conclusion that destructive 
distillation offers great possibilities for anyone who contemplates 
clearing long leaf pine lands ofi a fairly large scale. Experience 
proved that our retort was slightly too small. It should have 
been large enough to put in at least 1.5 tons of wood on the 24- 
hour schedule. We were forced to employ three men constantly, 
but where it is possible to employ one man for part time, the 
labor costs for a plant of this size can be slightly reduced. We 
sold our oil at a very low figure. At the present time it sells 

[ 21 ] 


readily at around 30 cents per gallon, and brokers are offering 
24 cents a gallon for the entire output of destructive distillation 
plants during 1920. 

While the figure we got for our charcoal was fair, it was not by 
any means a top price. On the other hand our cost figures 
are very conservative. There will undoubtedly be considerable 
salvage value in the plant when 1,000 acres are cleared. 
We have made no charge for supervision because our supervision 
costs were all out of proportion to the enterprise. It is not neces¬ 
sary for the owner to devote more than one or two hours a day 
to supervision, except at the start and this time can be reduced 
when the operatives learn the work thoroughly. 

There is a great deal of land which will yield more wood than 
that on which we operated, and the profits per acre will be con¬ 
siderably increased on such land. Particularly will this be the 
case where there is a large amount of down wood which can be 
gathered at little expense. There was practically no down wood 
on our land. 

While our plant was probably the smallest size that can be 
profitably employed, larger plants can operate much more econ¬ 
omically, and their use seems justifiable on any operation involv¬ 
ing appreciably more than a thousand acres, possibly on this 
acreage. In Part 5, the extent to which the various factors men¬ 
tioned influence final results is shown in detail with estimates of 
the profits it should be possible to secure under varying conditions 
with plants of various sizes. 

While our operations show the 36-hour run to be slightly more 
profitable, it must be remembered that it takes longer to use the 
wood from a given acreage on this basis than on the 24-hour 
schedule. Also, it is possible that the difference between the 
two schedules may not be the same under all conditions, and in¬ 
dividual operators should test this out for themselves before deter¬ 
mining which length of run to use. We found that we got greater 
yields in thirty hours than in twenty-four, and more in forty- 
eight hours than in thirty-six hours, but the longest schedule 
decreased profits on account of the high labor cost. 


m 



A truck farm near Gulfport on land formerly covered with long leaf pine 















N 





/ 





PART 4. 


PRODUCTS: THEIR USES AND SALABILITY 

TV/T IXED tar oils produced by destructive distillation plants are 
^ sometimes referred to as commercial tar oils or, in the trade, 
merely as crude distillate. They contain a certain amount of 
turpentine which can be separated by re-distillation, but it would 
not pay to put in apparatus for this purpose in connection with 
the smaller destructive plants. The pyroligneous acid has no 
general commercial value, although it is quite possible that some 
of it might be sold locally as a disinfectant. It separates from 
the oils by gravity, and after a short settling period, it is pumped 
from the bottom of the receiving tank and is generally thrown 
away. As has been mentioned, the tar which melts out in liquid 
form is mixed with the oils, except on rare occasions, when it sells 
for a higher price than the mixed tar oils. The distillate is used 
in many industries, and, on account of the high prices which have 
prevailed in naval stores during the last six months, its use is 
steadily widening. 

The following is quoted from a letter received from a naval 
stores broker: 

“We may also state we are now buying the 
crude product such as you made at Gulfport 
(a mixture of distilled light oil and tar) at 
better than 30 cents per gallon f.o.b. distillery 
in tank car lots. There is every indication that 
this price will steadily increase, as the demand 
from the source we have in mind has more than 
doubled in this country in the past year, and 
the foreign markets have not been touched. 

One company we know of wants a tank car a 
day for the next twelve months. We are able 
to supply only one tank car a month.” 

Mixed tar oils are used in the flotation process for separating 
ores in the mining industry, and in the manufacture of paints, 
disinfectants, such as cattle dips and insecticides, shoe polish, 

[ 23 ] 


paper, rope, insulation for electrical equipment, and for many 
other purposes. 

The letter just quoted indicates pretty clearly that this material 
is readily salable at the present time, but, of course, it does , not 
necessarily follow that this will always be the case. As in most 
any undertaking of a like nature, there are business chances in¬ 
volved. It is possible that enough plants will be built to flood 
the market, and cause prices to decline to a point where it is not 
possible to make a profit. However, our study of the situation 
makes us believe it is unlikely that such a condition can be created 
very soon. 

The production of gum spirits of turpentine by tapping the 
trees is on the decline, owing to the diminishing supply of stand¬ 
ing timber. In view of this, the prices of naval stores would 
naturally be expected to advance, or at least to hold firm at a 
level above that of the years when gum spirits production was at 
its height. Moreover, the demand for pine products from various 
industrial sources seems to be expanding. As compared to the 
output of gum spirits, the production of these plants is so small 
that it would take a very great number of them to have an ap¬ 
preciable effect on the market. These are the views which are 
current among naval stores operators and they seem to be based 
on the best available information. 

The use of charcoal as a fuel is so well known throughout the 
South that comment on this product is unnecessary. 


PART 5 


ESTIMATES 

TABLE No. 3 

r I 'HE METHOD used in arriving at the various charges in 

-*■ Table 8, shown on page 26, is the same as in Tables 1 and 2. 
It will be noted that we are figuring on a retort that will actually 
hold 1.5 tons of wood. To do so, on a 24-hour schedule, it would 
have to be about 20% larger than the one we used. 

The hauling charge is the same as in Tables 1 and 2. The in¬ 
terest on $3,500 at 6% would be $210.00 per year. As we handle 
1.5 tons of retort wood per day, we would handle 450 tons in 
300 working days. By dividing $210.00 by 450, we get approxi¬ 
mately $.47 as the interest per ton of retort wood. 

The depreciation would be $3.50 per acre, if we write off the 
investment while distilling the wood from 1,000 acres. To get the 
depreciation per ton of retort wood, we divide the depreciation 
per acre by the number of tons of retort wood per acre, 3 in the 
first column, 4 in the second, and 6 in the third. It will be re¬ 
called that to get these quantities of retort wood per acre, the 
actual weight of wood would have to be 4.5, 6 and 9 tons per 
acre. 

Plant replacement, repairs, and supplies, are the same as in 
the previous tables. 

The labor charge is based on the figure used before, $8 for 24 
hours, but is divided by 1.5, the number of tons handled in 24 
hours in this case, to get the cost per ton, $5.33. 

The profit per ton is secured by subtracting the costs from the 
revenue. To get the profit per acre, multiply the profit per ton 
by the tons of retort wood per acre, three, four, and six. 

The time required to use the wood from 1,000 acres is obtained 
by dividing the acreage used per year (300 days x 1.5 tons, divided 
by the number of tons of retort wood per acre, 3-4-6) into 1,000. 
On the 36-hour schedule, one ton is substituted for 1.5 tons. 

m 


TABLE No. 3 


ESTIMATED OPERATION ON 1,000 ACRES 
ONE-RETORT PLANT — CAPACITY 1.5 TONS 


COST $3,500 

— 

— — 

24-HOUR RUN 


FOR LAND YIELDING 3, 4 & 
Operating Costs per Ton 3 Ton 
of Retort Wood Land 

Hauling.$1.20 

Interest on Investment.47 

Depreciation. 1.17 

Retort Replacement. 1.00 

Repairs.50 

Supplies.00 

6 TONS 

RETORT WOOD PER ACRE. 
4 Ton 6 Ton 

Land Land 

1.20 1.20 

.47 .47 

.88 .58 

1.00 1.00 

.50 .50 

.60 .60 

Labor. 

5.33 


5.33 5.33 


Total Operating Costs. .. . 
Operating Revenue per Ton 
of Retort Wood 

62.29 Gals. Oil @ 18 cents 

$10.27 

$9.98 

$9.68 

463 lbs. Charcoal @ 1 cent. . 
Oil @ 24 cents—Charcoal @ 


15.84 

15.84 

15.84 

1 cent. 

Oil @ 30 cents—Charcoal @ 


19.58 

19.58 

19.58 

1 cent. 

Operating Profits per Ton 
of Retort Wood 

Oil @ 18 cents—Charcoal 


23.32 

23.32 

23.32 

1 cent. 

Oil @ 24 cents—Charcoal @ 


5.57 

5.86 

6.16 

1 cent. 

Oil @ 30 cents—Charcoal @ 


9.31 

9.60 

9.90 

1 cent. 

Operating Profit per Acre 
Oil @ 18 cents—Charcoal @ 


13.05 

13.34 

13.64 

1 cent. 

Oil @ 24 cents—Charcoal @ 


16.71 

23.44 

36.96 

1 cent. 

Oil @ 30 cents—Charcoal @ 


27.93 

38.40 

59.40 

1 cent. 

Approximate time required to 


39.15 

53.36 

81.84 

use wood from 1,000 acres. .. . 

Approximate time required to 
use wood from 1,000 acres run¬ 


6.66 yrs. 8.88yrs. 

13.33yrs. 

ning on a 36-hour schedule. .. . 


10 yrs. 

i*«i 

13.33 yrs. 

20 yrs. 




















TABLE No. 4 


ESTIMATED OPERATION ON 2,000 ACRES 
TWO-RETORT PLANT — CAPACITY 3 TONS 
COST $6,000 — — — 36-HOUR RUN 

LAND YIELDING 3. 4. & 6 TONS RETORT WOOD PER ACRE 


Operating Costs per Ton 3 Ton 


of Retort Wood Land 

Hauling.$1.20 

Interest on Investment.60 

Depreciation. 1.00 

Retort Replacement. 1.00 

Repairs.50 

Supplies.60 

Labor. 4.00 


Total Operating Costs. . . . 

Operating Revenue per Ton 
of Retort Wood 
76.40 Gals. Oil @ 18 cents 
411 lbs. Charcoal @ 1 cent. . 
Oil @ 24 cents—Charcoal @ 

1 cent. 

Oil @ 30 cents—Charcoal @ 

1 cent. 

Operating Profit per Ton 
of Retort Wood 
Oil @ 18 cents—Charcoal 

1 cent. 

Oil @ 24 cents—Charcoal @ 

1 cent.. 

Oil @ 30 cents—Charcoal @ 

1 cent. 

Operating Profits per Acre 
Oil @ 18 cents—Charcoal @ 

1 cent. 

Oil @ 24 cents—Charcoal @ 

1 cent. 

Oil @ 30 cents—Charcoal @ 

1 cent. 

Approximate time required to 
use wood from 2.000 acres. .. . 

Approximate time required to 
use wood from 2,000 acres run¬ 
ning on a 24-hour schedule. .. . 


4 Ton 6 Ton 

Land Land 

1.20 1.20 

.60 .60 

.75 .50 

1.00 1.00 

.50 .50 

.60 .60 

4.00 4.00 

$8.00 $8.65 $8.40 


17.86 17.86 17.86 
22.45 22.45 22.45 
27.03 27.03 27.03 


8.06 

0.21 

0.40 

13.55 

13.80 

14.05 

18.13 

18.38 

18.63 

26.88 

36.84 

56.76 

40.65 

55.20 

84.30 

54.30 

73.52 

111.78 

10 yrs. 

13.33 yrs. 

29 yrs 

6.66 yrs. 

8 yrs. 

14.44} 


[ 27 ] 

















TABLE NO. 4 


Table No. 4 (page 27) is worked out on the 36-hour schedule, so 
that, while the plant capacity is three tons, it would only distill 
two tons in 24 hours, or 600 tons in a 300-day year. 

The depreciation divided over 2,000 acres would be $3,00 per 
acre. The same labor required for a 1.5-ton plant, can run it. 
Keeping these facts in mind, the charges can be worked out as in 
the preceding case. 

TABLE NO. 5 

In Table No. 5 (page 29) 6 tons would be taken care of in 24 
hours. The depreciation would be $2.00 per acre. The labor is 
figured as three men at $2.50 per day, and two men at $3.00 per 
day, three working days and two working nights, a total of $13.50 
for 24 hours. This gives $2.25 per ton of retort wood for labor. 

The charge of $1.00 per ton for retort replacement will replace 
all retorts at $900 each, whether there be one or four, in two 
years on the 24-hour schedule, or in three years on the 36-hour 
schedule. The repair item allows $225.00 per retort per year on 
the 24-hour basis, and $150.00 per year with 36-hour runs. This 
should be an ample allowance. 


[ 28 ] 


TABLE No. 5 


ESTIMATED OPERATION ON 5,000 ACRES 
FOUR-RETORT PLANT — CAPACITY 6 TONS 
COST $10,000 — — — 24-HOUR RUN 

LAND YIELDING 3, 4 & 6 TONS RETORT WOOD PER ACRE 


Operating Costs per Ton 3 Ton 


of Retort Wood Land 

Hauling.$1.20 

Interest on Investment.34 

Depreciation.67 

Retort Replacement. 1.00 

Repairs.50 

Supplies.60 

Labor. 2.25 


Total Operating Costs. .. . 

Operating Revenue per Ton 
of Retort Wood 
62.29 Gals. Oil @ 18 cents 
463 lbs. Charcoal @ 1 cent. 
Oil @ 24 cents—Charcoal @ 

1 cent.. 

Oil @ 30 cents—Charcoal @ 

1 cent. 

Operating Profit per Ton 
of Retort Wood 
Oil @ 18 cents—Charcoal @ 

1 cent. 

Oil @ 24 cents—Charcoal @ 

1 cent. 

Oil @ 30 cents—Charcoal @ 

1 cent. 

Operating Profit per Acre 
Oil @ 18 cents—Charcoal @ 

1 cent. 

Oil @ 24 cents—Charcoal @ 

1 cent. 

Oil @ 30 cents—Charcoal @ 

1 cent. 

Approximate time required to 
use wood from 5,000 acres. . . . 

Approximate time required to 
use wood from 5,000 acres run¬ 
ning on a 36-hour schedule.... 


4 Ton 6 Ton 

Land Land 



1.20 

.34 

.50 

1.00 

.50 

.60 

2.25 


1.20 

.34 

.34 

1.00 

.50 

.60 

2.25 


$6.56 


$6.39 


$6.23 

15.84 


15.84 


15.84 

19.58 


19.58 


19.58 

23.32 


23.32 


23.32 


9.28 

9.45 

9.61 

13.02 

13.19 

13.35 

16.76 

16.93 

17.09 

27.84 

37.80 

57.66 

39.06 

52.76 

80.10 

50.28 

67.72 

102.54 

8.33 yrs. 

11.11 yrs. 

16.66 yrs 

12.50 yrs. 

16.66 yrs. 

' .25 yrs. 

















CONCLUSION 


There is always some doubt as to the accuracy of estimates 
based on a small operation when carried into a larger one, but we 
believe that the possibility of meeting conditions varying widely 
from' those we encountered is more apt to throw out these esti¬ 
mates than the fact that we have used our results in figuring on 
larger plants than the one we operated. In this particular case, 
enlarging the plant consists merely in multiplying the units with 
a consequent reduction of operating costs. There is no reason, 
therefore, why results should be affected by enlarging the operation 
in this way. As to differences due to conditions, there is no 
question that these will occur, but considering the fact that we 
took great pains to avoid the selection of ideal conditions, it would 
be most surprising if we had hit upon stumps that yield appreci¬ 
ably above the average. As a matter of fact, we know from the 
experience of other distillers that there was nothing phenomenal 
about the yields we secured. 

We also know that the stumpage runs considerably heavier on 
a great deal of land than on that wdiich we selected, and that 
there is frequently a large amount of down wood. Moreover, as 
will readily be seen, it would be possible to reduce both the 
yields and the weight of the wood shown in Tables 3, 4, and 5, 
and still have profits that would be decidedly worth while. 

So far, we have been considering the application of distillation 
to land clearing solely from the standpoint of the landowner who 
may build and operate one or more plants. However, as distill¬ 
ation is a manufacturing business, there are probably a great 
many landowners who will not care to go into anything so foreign 
to their usual activities and, on the other hand, there are a great 
many who will welcome the opportunity to start a manufacturing 
business that offers a possibility for good returns and involves a 
comparatively small investment, but who would not care for 
the land development feature. A few such businesses have 
been conducted successfully for a great many years, but in most 
cases with plants larger than any of these we are considering. 

[30] 


It is clear, however, that under favorable circumstances, good 
profits are to be made on these small plants, even if a fair price is 
paid for the raw material. For instance, suppose we pay $4.00 a 
ton for w r ood. This would make $6.00 for each ton of retort wood, 
because half a ton is required for fuel. Adding this to the oper¬ 
ating costs in Table No. 4, we should have $14.90 under this head¬ 
ing. This would give us a profit per ton of $2.96 with 18-cent oil, 
$7.55 with 24-cent oil, and $12.13 with 30-cent oil. The daily 
profits would be double these figures, as two tons are handled per 
day, and if we work 300 days a year, we should have annual 
profits of $1,776.00, $4,530.00, or $7,278.00, according to the price 
of oil—fair returns on a $6,000-investment. On the other hand, 
the landowner who can sell stump w r ood at $4.00 per ton would 
receive from $18.00 to $36.00 an acre as an offset to his clearing 
costs. If we work out Table No. 5, handling six tons a day on a 
24-hour schedule in the same way, we have annual profits of 
$5,904.00, $12,636.00, or $19,368.00, according to the selling 
price of oil. 

Of course, in working out a cost system for an operation of this 
kind, the charges would be arrived at a little differently, but they 
would hardly be more conservative than the figures we used on an 
acreage basis. 

It is with some degree of hesitancy that we submit these figures, 
but, as we have explained fully the premises on which they are 
based we do not believe they can be misleading if considered in 
connection with this whole paper. Of course, in the case of a 
plant run purely as a manufacturing investment, if the owner 
devoted much of his time to it, there should be a considerable 
charge for supervision, although there w^ould be no more necessity 
for his doing so than in the case of the landowner. 

In conclusion, the Hercules Powder Company has no wish to 
force the impression that purely altruistic motives have prompted 
this work. Dr. Knapp and Mr. Evans have been good enough to 
say that we have made a valuable contribution towards the 
development of Southern agriculture. We are glad if this is 
true, and we shall be proud indeed if our sales work contributes 
towards building up our country agriculturally. We have gone 
into wood distillation as a matter of sales service. The information 

131 ) 


and data we have obtained will be placed at the disposal of the 
United States Department of Agriculture and the public generally 
without obligation in any form, but, naturally, there is a great 
deal more to the erection and operation of distillation plants than 
can be set down in writing, and we have full confidence that we 
will be repaid in the sale of dynamite and blasting supplies by 
placing our knowledge on this subject at the disposal of those who 
contemplate land clearing, and co-operating with them towards 
making their work successful. 

In closing, we cannot permit this occasion to pass without 
giving expressions of our appreciation to Mr. J. A. Evans, of the 
States Relations Sei-vice, who suggested this most interesting work 
to us, and to Dr. Knapp, Dr. Veitch, and others of the Depart¬ 
ment who gave us encouragement and extended to us many 
courtesies. 


[ 82 ] 

\ 








LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 


SR I 



0 033 266 799.3 


HERCULES POWDEIICO. 








. 




Manufacturers of Explosives 


CHATTANOOGA, TENN. 
CHICAGO, ILL. 
DENVER, COL. 
HAZLETON, PA. 
PITTSBURG, KAN. 
JOPLIN, MO. 


NEW YORK, N. Y. 
PITTSBURGH, PA. 

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 
ST. LOUIS, MO. 
WILMINGTON, DEL. 


¥ 









